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2024 FIA Formula One World Championship
2024 Miami Grand Prix
Miami International Autodrome
Miami Gardens (Florida), USA
Sunday, 5 May 2024
Lando Norris is hoping to see more improvement from McLaren at the
Miami Grand Prix on Sunday, May 5 after a surprising performance in Shanghai.
The Brit was well off the pace in the first sprint of the year as he finished sixth, 22.088 seconds behind Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen after starting in pole position.
Norris wasn't able to pass Red Bull Racing's Sergio Perez in the opening stages of the Chinese Grand Prix, but he managed to overtake Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso on lap 7 to move up to third place.
Image copyright: Getty Images
The 24-year-old driver then capitalised on the Safety Car to pit on lap 23, making up valuable time which allowed him to gain track position on Perez, who pitted one lap later.
Norris held on to claim P2, his best finish of the season and a second podium, as he closed within 11 points of Ferrari's Carlos Sainz in fifth position in the drivers' standings.
"I mean, there was a big improvement on Sunday compared to Saturday so I think that's why we were probably a bit surprised," he said.
"I was surprised to be sitting in the press conference on Sunday, but it was a nice surprise of course. It probably felt similar-ish to Australia. In Australia I felt comfortable and the car felt pretty good as well.
"So just much better in the race, things came alive, the conditions cooled down, the wind calmed down and both of these things, I think, played into our hands a little bit more. So that's why in the sprint, if you asked me, what do we expect for the race, it definitely was nowhere near top three, or even maybe top five.
"So a pleasant surprise. And yeah, the car felt much better. But obviously, not quick enough to match the Red Bulls. What did change? We were just quicker than we thought."
2024 Chinese Grand Prix results:
Winner: Max Verstappen - Red Bull Racing
Second Place: Lando Norris - McLaren
Third Place: Sergio Perez - Red Bull Racing
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